For the past several months I have been hiking to the koa forests of Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island to look for Kamehameha Butterflies. Kamehameha Butterflies (Vanessa tameamea) are one of only two butterfly species endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Known as “Lepelepe...

When I heard that a population explosion of koa moths was defoliating thousands of acres of koa forests on Hawaiʻi Island I had to see for myself. The Department of Land and Natural Resources announced on February 14, 2013 that an outbreak of koa looper moths was...

I hiked along the rim of Makua Valley where I saw dozens of koa butterflies sipping the nectar of ʻiliahi flowers. I attended the Hawaiian Trail and Mountain Club’s 3-day Mokuleʻia Campout where backpackers hike the Kuaokoala Trail, Mokuleʻia Access Road, and...